New requirements for customers travelling to the UK

5 June 2020

The UK has introduced new requirements for customers arriving in the country as of 8 June 2020. You must provide information about your journey and your contact details before you land via this page. You can provide this information earliest 48 hours before your journey. Please take with you a print or a screenshot of the form you filled. Please note also that when you arrive in the UK, you must self-isolate for 14 days at the place you are staying.

For more information, you can check the government's official webpage for entering the country and public health measures for all UK arrivals. The UK authorities will update information about the travel restrictions at the end of June. Please follow the situation and check the current requirements before your journey.

Your options, if you have a flight booking to the UK in June but wish not to travel:

You can change your travel dates without a change fee and travel within your ticket validity, if

You made your booking via Finnair channels.

You have a Finnair operated and marketed flight.

There are available seats on your chosen new flight. It is good to know that if there is no availability in your original fare class for your new flight, you need to pay the fare difference between your original and new flight tickets.

You can make the change through Manage booking, if your flight departure is more than 7 days away. If you change your travel dates closer to your flight, please contact our customer service. You need to select new dates for your travel when making the change.

If you wish to cancel your reservation, the refund will be according to the ticket rule.

Changes in our traffic plan on 1 July 2020 - 31 March 2021, see instructions if you have a booking for 1 July onwards

18 May 2020, last updated 29 May 2020

As travel restrictions are being removed in different countries, air travel starts to recover gradually. We will gradually add frequencies and routes back to our network from July onwards. We intend to operate approximately 30% of our normal amount of flights in July, and we will add routes and frequencies month by month as demand recovers, taking into account the changes in travel restrictions in different countries.

This means that we cancel flights from our previously published traffic plan for 1 July 2020 - 31 March 2021. Some routes will be temporarily cancelled until the end of March 2021.

We are extremely sorry about the harm and uncertainty this situation causes you.

HOW DO I KNOW IF MY FLIGHT IS CANCELLED?

You’ll see the list of routes that are entirely cancelled on 1 July 2020 - 31 March 2021 here.

We cancel several flights to other destinations as well as of 1 July. Up-to-date travel periods can be checked on the booking engine and on the Destinations pages. We’ll cancel the flights from our systems gradually by 30 June 2020. If your flight is cancelled, we’ll contact you personally via SMS and/or email. Please go to Manage booking and check that we have your current contact information.

We contact you as follows, if your flight is cancelled:

Flights cancelled in July: we contact you by 31 May

Flights cancelled in August: we contact you by 7 June

Flights cancelled in September: we contact you by 14 June

Flights cancelled on 1 October 2020 - 31 March 2021: we contact you by 30 June

Processing flights to/from China may take longer because we are waiting for the confirmation from the local authorities.

IF YOUR FLIGHT ON/AFTER 1 JULY IS CANCELLED

When your flight is on the list of cancelled routes or you have received a message of a flight cancellation, these are your options:

You can change your travel dates until 31 May 2021 without a change fee via Manage booking. If you can’t make the change yourself online, our customer service will assist you. You can change your travel dates if

You made your booking via Finnair channels.

You have a Finnair operated and marketed flight.

There are available seats on your chosen new flight in the same cabin class.

You make the change before the departure of your original flight. You need to select new dates for your travel when making the change.

We do our best to re-route you to your destination with other Finnair flights. Please note that the availability of alternative flights is limited at the moment. We’ll send you your possible new flight information via SMS and/or email, and you can check it and other possible flight options also at Manage booking.

You can cancel your booking in Manage booking and then apply for a refund for the unused part of your flight ticket by filling in this online form. If you can’t cancel your booking in Manage booking, our customer service helps you with cancelling the booking and applying for a refund. If we have cancelled all the flights in your booking, you can apply for a refund without cancelling the booking.

When any of the flights in your booking (for example only the return flight) has been cancelled, you can apply for a refund for all the unused flights on the same ticket.

You can also choose a Finnair gift card as a refund option, when you have paid your ticket fully with money, meaning through online banking or credit card. We, unfortunately, have delays in the refund processing because of high refund application volumes. Our average handling time is approximately 8-12 weeks. If you choose a Finnair gift card as a refund option, the average handling time is approximately 4 weeks.

If you purchased a travel extra and change your travel date, we will move the travel extra to your new flight if possible, otherwise, you can apply for a refund online for an undelivered service. Also, if your flight is cancelled, you can apply for a refund for any travel extras you had purchased and didn’t receive.

CHANGES TO BOOKINGS FOR FLIGHTS TO BE OPERATED AFTER 1 JULY

If we haven’t cancelled your flight but you wish to cancel your reservation, refund will be according to the ticket rule.

For bookings made latest on 30 June 2020, you can change your travel dates through Manage booking or our customer service without a change fee and travel within your ticket validity, if

You made your booking via Finnair channels.

You have a Finnair operated and marketed flight.

There are available seats on your chosen new flight. It is good to know that if there is no availability in your original fare class for your new flight, you need to pay the fare difference between your original and new flight tickets.

You make the change 7 days before the departure of your original flight. You need to select new dates for your travel when making the change. If you change your travel dates closer to your flight, the change conditions follow your original ticket rules.

Did you change your travel dates already once and would like to change them again? You can do it through Manage booking and travel within your ticket validity when the above listed requirements are fulfilled. If you were unable to make the change online, please contact our customer service.

CONTACTING OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE

If you booked your ticket through a travel agency or a tour operator, please contact them to make changes to your reservation or to apply for a refund. If you booked your ticket through Finnair, our customer service is working hard to help you in this extremely exceptional situation. We are at your service also via chat, on Twitter @FinnairHelps and on our Facebook pages. We are sorry that our customer service is congested.

Delays in refund handling

1 April 2020, last updated 18 May 2020

We currently have delays in the refund handling due to a high volume or coronavirus related refund applications. We are very sorry for the inconvenience this may cause you and are working hard to shorten the handling time.

Our average handling time is approximately 8 weeks. Some requests may unfortunately take some more time to be handled, from 8 to 12 weeks. We’ll inform you via email after your refund application is processed. Please send your request only once, as duplicates will further delay handling the applications.

When you apply for a refund for your unused flight ticket due to the coronavirus situation, you can choose to have your money back to your bank account or credit card or a Finnair gift voucher. We send you the gift voucher within 4 weeks.

New measures to protect your health and safety

Air travel will gradually start to recover as travel restrictions are lifted. We want to ensure that you feel safe and comfortable when travelling with us.

We have already earlier implemented several changes to our services to reduce direct contact between our customers and crew and to ensure your health and safety while travelling. See details below.

As of 18 May, we introduce additional measures for your safety and wellbeing. The most visible change is that you are now required to wear a mask covering your mouth and nose from boarding to leaving the aircraft.

We will review these measures regularly and update any new information on our website.

CHANGES IN IN-FLIGHT SERVICES ON ALL ROUTES AND IN AIRPORT SERVICES AT HELSINKI AIRPORT

14 March 2020, last updated 19 March 2020

The safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew are a top priority for us. Due to the coronavirus situation, we are making changes to our in-flight services on all routes gradually as of 13 March to reduce direct contact between our customers and crew. There are also changes in the airport services at Helsinki Airport, and we will close our lounges at Helsinki Airport for the time being.

Changes in in-flight meal and beverage service

Nordics, Baltic countries, Russia and Innsbruck

In Business Class, we will serve you a water bottle.

In Economy Class, we will have no meal or beverage service on these flights for the time being. We will serve water on request.

In Business Class, we will serve you a water bottle and a sandwich. We cannot accommodate special diets.

In Economy Class, we will serve you a water bottle and cookie.

Unfortunately, we can’t deliver pre-order meals to these flights. You can apply for a refund for an undelivered meal through this online form.

Canary Islands, Funchal, Dubai, Hurghada and Alanya

In Business Class, we will serve you a water bottle and a sandwich. We cannot accommodate special diets.

In Economy Class, we will serve you a water bottle and sandwich.

Unfortunately, we can’t deliver pre-order meals to these flights. You can apply for a refund for an undelivered meal through this online form.

Intercontinental flights

In Business Class, the meal and beverage service is lighter than usual. Only special diet meals are available to be selected in advance.

In Economy Class, the meal and beverage service is lighter than usual. Only special diet meals are available to be selected in advance.

We cannot accommodate special diets on repatriation flights.

Duty-free or pre-order shopping will not be available on any flights.

Changes in airport services, Finnair lounges will be closed

We are making changes to our airport services to reduce direct contact between our customers and ground crew. This is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our customers and crew. We ask you to show your travel documents to our check-in agent instead of handing them over. Our crew will continue to assist you at the check-in kiosks but without touching the screens. If you printed your bag tag from a kiosk, we kindly ask you to attach it to your bag yourself.

In addition, we will discontinue the Helsinki Airport Fast Track service and the car service for Finnair Plus Platinum Lumo members as of 1 April, 2020.

We will close our lounges at Helsinki Airport. Finnair Platinum Wing in the non-Schengen side will be closed as of 18 March, and Finnair Business Lounge in the non-Schengen area and Finnair Lounge in the Schengen area will close their doors as of 19 March.

Please note that changes in our partners’ service offering and opening hours of lounges at other airports are also possible due to the coronavirus situation.

We are operating a limited traffic plan, this is what you can do if your flight is cancelled or you have a booking for 16 March – 30 June 2020

2 April 2020, last updated 8 May 2020

The coronavirus epidemic has had a severe impact on the demand for air travel, and several countries have set restrictions for travelling. We have transitioned to a limited network and cancelled the majority of our flights temporarily as of 1 April until the situation improves. We have now cancelled flights until the end of June. We are operating a limited traffic plan on 1 April – 30 June 2020.

Please note that we will operate this traffic plan provided that there are no travel restrictions set by the authorities. If the situation improves, we will do our best to add flights and routes to our traffic plan. We aim to return to a normal traffic plan as soon as possible and will tell about it, when we know more.

We are extremely sorry about the disruption and uncertainty this situation causes you. We follow the situation closely and will update any new information on this page.

WHEN YOUR FLIGHT IS CANCELLED ON 16 MARCH - 30 JUNE

When your flight is cancelled, we’ll contact you personally via SMS and/or e-mail. Please go to Manage booking and check that we have your current contact information.

You can change your travel dates until 30 November 2020 without a change fee by contacting our customer service. You can change your travel dates if

You made your booking via Finnair channels.

You have a Finnair operated and marketed flight.

There are available seats on your chosen new flight.

You make the change before the departure of your original flight. Please note that you need to select new dates for your travel when making the change.

Please note that the change in the ticket rules doesn’t apply to Finnair Holidays, Aurinkomatkat (Suntours) and other tour operators’ customers.

If you have a group reservation, please contact your travel agency.

Did you change your travel dates already once and would like to change them again? You can do it through Manage booking and travel until 30 November 2020 when the above listed requirements are fulfilled.

You can apply for a refund for the unused part of your flight ticket just by filling in this online form. When any of the flights in your booking (for example only the return flight) has been cancelled, you can apply for a refund for all the unused flights on the same ticket. You can also choose a Finnair gift voucher as a refund option, when you have paid your ticket fully with money, meaning through online banking or credit card. We, unfortunately, have delays in the refund processing because of high refund application volumes. Our average handling time is approximately 8 weeks.

If your flight is cancelled but you still want to travel, we do our best to re-route to your destination with other Finnair flights. Please note that the availability of alternative flights is very limited at the moment.

YOUR OPTIONS IF YOUR FLIGHT IS OPERATED ON 1 APRIL – 30 JUNE

You can change your travel dates through Manage booking without a change fee and travel until 30 November, 2020, if

You booked your flight before 1 April 2020.

You made your booking via Finnair channels.

You have a Finnair operated and marketed flight.

There are available seats on your chosen new flight.

You make the change before the departure of your original flight. Please note that you need to select new dates for your travel when making the change.

Please note that the change in the ticket rules doesn’t apply to Finnair Holidays, Aurinkomatkat (Suntours) and other tour operators’ customers.

If you have a group reservation, please contact your travel agency.

If you have purchased your ticket partly with Finnair Plus points or you have upgraded your flight with money or a tier benefit, please contact our customer service to change your travel dates.

If you are not able to travel because of current travel restrictions, you can cancel your booking at Manage booking and then apply for a refund through this form. In other cases, if we haven’t cancelled your flight but you wish to cancel your reservation, refund will be according to the ticket rule.

CONTACTING OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE

If you booked your ticket through a travel agency, please contact them to make changes to your reservation or to apply for a refund. Our customer service is working hard to help you in this extremely exceptional situation. We are at your service also on Twitter @FinnairHelps, on our Facebook pages and via chat on finnair.com. We are sorry if our customer service is congested.

TRAVEL EXTRAS

If you purchased a travel extra and change your travel date, we will move the travel extra to your new flight if possible, otherwise, you can apply for a refund online for an undelivered service. Also, if your flight is cancelled, you can apply for a refundfor any travel extras you had purchased and didn’t receive.

Flexibility to reservation changes for flights booked between 1 April and 30 June

1 April 2020, updated 28 April 2020

Due to the coronavirus situation, we want to offer you flexibility for making reservation changes and have updated our ticket change policy. This means you can now make also new bookings until the end of June with peace of mind.

You can change your travel date flexibly without a change fee, if

You made your booking between 1 April and 30 June 2020.

You booked your ticket through Finnair channels.

You have a Finnair operated and marketed flight.

There are available seats on your chosen new flight.

You make the change 7 days before the departure of your original flight. Please note that you need to select new dates for your travel when making the change. If you change your travel dates closer to your flight, the change conditions follow your original ticket rules.

Please note that the change in the ticket rules doesn’t apply to Finnair Holidays, Aurinkomatkat (Suntours) and other tour operators’ customers.

In case you would like to cancel your booking, refund will be according to the original ticket rules.

It is good to know that if there is no availability in your original fare class for your new flight, you need to pay the fare difference between your original and new flight tickets.

If you purchased a travel extra and change your travel date, we will move the travel extra to your new flight if possible, otherwise it is eligible for a refund.

Many countries restrict travelling due to coronavirus

7 February 2020

Due to the current outbreak of coronavirus, there are entry and transit restrictions in place in many countries.

We recommend that you visit the International Air Transport Association's (IATA) website for more information, or alternatively contact the embassies of the countries to/via which you plan to travel, especially if you have visited China in the last 14 days, or travel on a Chinese passport.

Limitations in Finnair app check-in

Due to coronavirus related travel restrictions to some of our destinations, there are limitations in Finnair app check-in currently. Please complete your check-in on our website, if you can’t complete it in Finnair app.

Disruptions in the traffic

Joensuu and Jyväskylä Airports closed for maintenance

15 January 2020

Due to runway maintenance, Joensuu Airport will be closed from 22 June to 09 July 2020 and Jyväskylä airport from 03 July to 16 August 2020. During that period our flights between Helsinki and Joensuu and Helsinki and Jyväskylä will not be operated.

We are sorry for the inconvenience!

Leased aircraft

Iberia operates certain Barcelona and Madrid flights

15 January 2020

We have leased Airbus A321 aircraft from our oneworld partner Iberia to cover a temporary shortage of aircraft as our operations continue to grow. The aircraft will be used for flights AY1654/3 (Barcelona) and AY1662/1 (Madrid) until March 30, 2023.

With the leased aircraft, the flight deck crew comes from Iberia, while the cabin crew is Finnair’s. Finnair’s service concept is followed on the flights.

When buying tickets through finnair.com, the operating airline is shown on the ‘Select Flights’ page. If you already have a booking, we’ll inform you about the changed aircraft via SMS and/or e-mail. Please go to Manage booking on our website or Finnair App and check that we have your current contact information.

If you wish to change or cancel your flight due to the change in the operating carrier, we ask you kindly to contact Finnair Customer Service. We are also at your service via chat on finnair.com, on Twitter @FinnairHelps and in our Facebook pages.

Other information related to flying

Changes in services at Helsinki airport

31 March 2020

Helsinki Airport renews to offer you an even smoother travel experience in the future. As of 1 April, we renew our services in the airport departure hall. Due to the ongoing construction work, there are also changes in the airport’s traffic and parking arrangements. Please note that we have made changes to our airport and lounge services also due to the coronavirus situation, you can read more about these from above.

Changes in the departure hall services

As of 1 April 2020, we will renew our services in the departure hall at Helsinki Airport. To ensure smooth service, we have simplified and combined services of our different service desks in the departure hall.

You get the smoothest start for your journey by making any reservation changes or purchasing tickets or travel extras, like upgrades or extra baggage, in advance through Finnair.com or our customer service. We no longer have a separate desk for these services at the airport, but our crew at other desks are at your service with these matters, if you wish. Please make any changes latest 60 minutes before your flight departure, so that we can ensure you will make to your flight with no hassle.

Special Assistance Desks in the departure hall help customers with special needs and if you need to make last minute changes to your reservation. As a Finnair Plus Platinum Lumo, Platinum, Gold and Silver member or our Business Class customer you can visit our Priority Desks.

Our guides at Helsinki Airport help you with any travel related questions. The fastest way for check-in is to do it through our website or Finnair app already before arriving the airport or by using the self-service check-in kiosks at the airport. You can leave your bags through self-service bag drops in the departure hall. Please print the bag tag at a check-in kiosk before leaving the baggage in the self-service bag drop. Self-service bag drops 207-211 are open all day.

If your flight was cancelled and you have been rerouted to your destination, you may be able to choose an alternative flight yourself through Manage booking. If you want to do the change with our agent at the airport, our agents at the Special Assistance, Priority or Transfer Desks will help you.

As of 1 April, we accept only debit or credit card payments at Helsinki Airport for the time being. For your and our ground crew’s wellbeing during the coronavirus situation, we reduce direct contact between our customers and crew and can’t accept cash payments.

Changes in traffic and parking arrangements during the airport renewal work

If you arrive at the airport by taxi or someone drops you off at the terminal, the right place for this at Terminal 2 is on the arrivals level. Please note that cars can stop only briefly in front of the terminal to avoid congestion. If you wish to accompany someone into the terminal or pick someone up, please use the short-term parking area in P3.

The taxi station serves customers on the ground floor of the terminal. To get to the new taxi station, customers can take the escalators or an elevator in the Arrivals hall 2A near Burger King restaurant.

The bus station is currently in front of the Scandic hotel.

Parking halls P1 and P2 are closed. You can use parking halls P3 and P5. Short-term and premium parking will be in P3.

The renewal of Helsinki Airport will be completed in 2022. Find out more at Finavia’s website.

Travelling on Finnair flights during Brexit

23 January 2020

We expect our flights between the UK and Finland as well as the transfer traffic through the UK to continue normally on the day of Brexit and after that. However, there may be changes in the customer processes at London Heathrow airport, and congestion is possible from time to time.

If you are travelling to/from/via the UK on 31 January 2020 or some days after that, you can do the following:

Follow our and your possible other airlines’ communications. We will update any new information on this page, and you can see the up-to-date flight information here.

Make sure that we have your up-to-date contact information in your flight reservation. You can check this through Manage booking or Finnair mobile app. We will contact you directly if there would be changes to your flight.

We also encourage you to reserve extra time at the airport, if you are travelling on the day of Brexit or some days after that, as delays are possible at the airport.

What if my flight is cancelled or I miss my connecting flight due to Brexit?

We will contact you directly if your flight would be disrupted. If your flight is cancelled or you miss your connecting flight, we will find you the best possible alternative flight to your destination as soon as possible. You’ll then find your new flight details at Manage booking or through Finnair app.

Where can I find more information about Brexit and travelling to the UK?

We will update information on this page, but you can also search for information on the UK government website.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland also provides information about Brexit and its effects on travelling here.

Will there be any changes to the travel document requirements for EU citizens travelling to or via the UK?

The passport requirements for EU citizens will not change, and you can still enter the UK using a passport which is valid for the duration of your intended stay. According to the current information, citizens of an EU or EEA country or Switzerland will not need a visa to travel to the UK. However, the UK government advises EU citizens to continue to check their website for updates on visa requirements. You can find more information about visiting the UK after Brexit here.

Will there be any changes to the travel document requirements for British citizens travelling to or via the EU countries?

As a British citizen travelling to the Schengen area, your passport will need to be valid 3 months beyond your intended stay. Passports that have been issued with a validity of longer than 10 years, will not be accepted. The EU has confirmed that British nationals will be able to enter the Schengen area without a visa even after Brexit, a visa-free stay will be allowed for a combined total of 90 days within any 180-day period of time.

My flight arrives in or departs from the UK. What should I know about check-in, security control, border control, immigration or other airport services?

In the UK, all airport services will remain as before. EU citizens will be able to enter and leave the UK as they do now, and for example, use e-gates or automated border control when travelling on a biometric passport.

My journey goes through London Heathrow Airport. What do I need to know to transit there?

There will be no changes in the transfer services. However, congestion is possible during the first days of Brexit. Finnair flights arrive in the terminal 3, and to transfer to another flight that departs from another terminal you’ll go through the flight connections centre. Please follow the airport signs. Also, baggage transfers to connecting flights continue as before. You can see more information about transfers in London Heathrow from the airport’s website.

My flight arrives in Helsinki from the UK. Are there changes at the airport?

Most airport services remain the same after Brexit. However, after the Brexit UK citizens can’t, for now, use the automated border control gates. Please use the manned lanes instead.

Can I still travel with my pet to the EU or to the UK?

You can continue to travel with your pet as before. We recommend you to check the requirements of your destination country well in advance before you travel and allow enough time for preparing your journey. Please note that pets can only be shipped as cargo to the UK.

You’ll find more information about travelling with pets on Finnair flights here.

More information about travelling with pets to the UK is available on the UK's government website.

Will there be different Customs requirements for bringing goods into the UK / to Helsinki?

Certain Apple MacBook Pro devices are not allowed on Finnair flights due to battery issues

19 August 2019

The European Aviation Safety Agency EASA and the US Federal Aviation Administration have issued instructions regarding the 15-inch MacBook Pro units manufactured between Sept 2015 and Feb 2017 that are subject to the recall by Apple on June 20, 2019 due to battery issues.